The crib mattress is important because it is where your baby will spend 70% of their time as an infant. As a toddler, your baby will spend up to 50% of their time on the mattress. Your baby’s bones are softer and growing faster than at any other time of their lives and most of that growth is taking place on the crib mattress. Most medical experts agree that you should put your baby on as firm a mattress as you feel comfortable putting them on. Don’t be afraid if it feels too firm to you. Babies will sleep anywhere after they get used to the mattress and, the firmer mattress is actually better for them. When baby is sleeping, always on their back for safety, you want their backbone to conform to a straight, firm mattress rather than have a soft mattress conform to baby’s flexible back. You want your baby’s back to grow straight.
The mattress is a very personal purchase because of the large amount of time your baby will spend on the mattress and because there are so many types, styles, firmnesses, and prices of crib mattresses for you to choose from.
Your first decision in selecting a crib mattress is whether to buy a foam mattress, an innerspring mattress, or a “green” mattress. “Green” mattresses include mattresses considered natural, organic, or made with renewable or sustainable or ecologically friendly materials. Each type of mattress has their positive points and all types of mattresses can be acceptable for baby.
Foam mattresses are the most lightweight of the three styles of crib mattresses and they are safe for baby. They make for easy sheet changes although you generally lift one corner of the mattress at a time so weight isn’t quite so important.
To select the best quality foam crib mattress, remember these three points: 1. the firmer the foam the better for baby, 2. the heavier the foam the better because heavier weight means more foam and less air in the mattress and, 3. the faster the foam returns to it’s original flat shape after the weight is removed, the better.
About 90% of us adults sleep on innerspring mattresses. Many parents feel more comfortable putting their baby on this traditional type of mattress. The important things to remember about innerspring mattresses include: 1. the more layers in the mattress, the better but, 2. the better quality the layers in the innerspring mattress the better. For a better quality innerspring, choose a mattress with thick steel coils and border rods, a quality insulator pad such as coir fiber made from coconut shell husks and, at least two cushioning layers.
The third type of mattress is the “green” mattress. Grouped in this category are organic mattresses, natural mattresses, and mattresses made with renewable, sustainable, or ecologically friendlier materials. There are no industry standards to define what is a natural mattress or an organic mattress or a “green” mattress. It is up to you to decide what these definitions mean to you and to make sure the mattress you select meets your criteria.
Dennis W. Schuetz
Director of Marketing
Merchandising, Special Accounts
Colgate Juvenile Products Company
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